MACON, Ga. — A Washington County High School drama teacher who admitted to tricking his students into sending him explicit photos and then sharing them online was sentenced on Thursday.
"I don’t have to tell anyone in that courtroom what a tragic case this is," U.S. District Court Judge Marc Treadwell said. "The victims and their families will carry scars for the rest of their lives."
In Treadwell's second-story federal courtroom, 33-year-old Michael Allen Dendy was sentenced to 33 years and four months in prison.
That came after two of his victims poured their hearts out and talked about how Dendy's actions affected their lives.
"What would lead this man to commit such horrible things?" one victim asked. "And I come to the conclusion it is because he's a coward, he’s disgusting and he’s evil."
She added, "Everyone makes mistakes, but I was a child — and he exploited me."
The victims hugged as they exchanged places in front of the courtroom, reading their statements to the judge. As they read, Dendy looked straight down at the defense table.
Prosecutors say Dendy, a former teacher at Washington County High School, had orchestrated a malicious ploy to convince his students to send him naked photos and videos.
Dendy admitted to “Catfishing” his students, pretending to be young males or females on social media service Instagram and convincing the students to share nude photos and videos. Prosecutors say he'd done this since 2016 while working at another school.
Operating under the username, “TheOneYouLeftBehind,” Dendy then shared the photos and videos on the messaging service Discord in a group called "WACO Confessions" that he created.
"I think about it a lot, probably more than I should," one of his victims said. "Constantly checking back over and over in my mind the same question: why? I trusted this man, I completely and fully trusted him... I feel like he betrayed me."
But when their nude photos leaked, both victims say they went to the same person: Michael Allen Dendy.
“He was the first person I talked to when it happened, and he looked at me, and he said that 'Some people were just evil' or something along those lines,” the victim said. “And I really want to know if that’s what he thinks of himself – or if he thinks of anything.”
In the hearing, they both laid bare the scars of Dendy's crimes, and the trust issues his actions provoked. One victim says she attempted suicide in the aftermath of Dendy's crimes; the other said she turned to alcohol and drug abuse.
"High school has definitely been ruined for me – but I won’t let Mr. Dendy ruin my life,” one told the court.
Dendy was arrested in January 2023.
According to prosecutors, Dendy says he never met with any students in person. But back in July, Dendy pleaded guilty to both possession and distribution of child pornography.
When asked if he would like to speak, Dendy read from a pre-written apology.
“I will continue working to better myself,” Dendy said. “I acknowledge that my actions were harmful, acknowledge I hurt many people I love… I acknowledge there is nothing I can do.”
He ended his apology with a request: “I ask the court for the opportunity to prove that change – although difficult – is possible.”
Prosecutors and Dendy's attorney sparred over how much time in prison Dendy deserved.
His attorney argued that he had a pornography addiction that he couldn't quit, but prosecutors say Dendy carried on a long-running scheme since 2016.
His attorney requested just under 20 years in prison while the U.S. Attorney's Office requested 40 years in prison. The maximum sentence is 50 years in prison.
Treadwell met them roughly in the middle: 400 months in prison, or 33 years and four months.
"You will grow old in prison," Treadwell said. "It's unlikely your parents will see you outside a federal prison. And I accept that it is a tragedy for you. I do see in the materials that I reviewed that at one time you were a person of promise.”
When he gets out of prison in 2058, Dendy will have spent nearly half of his life behind bars.
Their victims said their lives changed the day they learned Dendy leaked their nude photos.
“That’s the day I never trusted any of my teachers or friends again," she said. "My enthusiasm and spirit died.”